$1M in Federal Funds Sparks Hope for New Tuskegee Public Safety Center
TUSKEGEE, Ala. (WAKA) —Broken windows, peeling paint, overgrown vines and rusting cars are all that remain of the old Tuskegee Police Department, a building that has been permanently closed for years. The department has since relocated, but Mayor Chris Lee says even the current space is only a temporary fix.
“Our board of education has allowed us to use some of their space now for the past few years, but they are going to be using it for Board of Education purposes coming soon, ” said Mayor Lee. “So we’re going to have to move to a temporary location which is not ideal in size.
The city’s fire department is also in deteriorating condition. But now, $1,015,000 in federal funding secured by U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-AL) is giving Lee hope that Tuskegee will be able to build a new public safety building to house both the police and fire departments. The facility would also serve as a resilience center.
“The resilience center can be used for emergency preparedness and also as a cooling station or warming station in times of extreme weather.” said Lee. “It’s just a place for positive community space that we can use for many purposes to empower our citizens.”
The project is estimated to cost $5 million. Lee said the city is working to raise the remaining $4 million through state support and other funding sources. Several locations are under consideration, ideally near the municipal complex.
“We have a couple sites that we definitely feel that would be ideal for that, and we’re working on working out all of the details for those right now, but certainly in the vicinity of downtown is where we plan to do this,” said Lee.
City leaders hope to break ground within the next three years.
“We want to make it somewhere that improves our public safety and also just modernizes our city to make sure that we are providing the optimal services for all of our citizens,” said Lee.
The funding is part of $2.39 million in federal appropriations that Figures secured for rural projects in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, according to information released by Figures’ office.
City of Tuskegee – $1,015,000
The City of Tuskegee is receiving $1,015,000 to build a new public safety building to house the Police Department and Fire Department. In addition, the proposed facility would serve as a Resilience Center for citizens in the event of a major storm, power outage, or other disaster within the Tuskegee-Macon County Community.
Crenshaw County – $1,000,000
Crenshaw County is receiving $1 million to develop Crenshaw County Recreational Complex, a health and wellness complex focused on providing local children and families with a safe, modern space to play and practice sports. In addition to athletic facilities, the complex will feature a walking trail that offers a secure, natural environment for exercise and outdoor enjoyment.
Health Care Authority of the City of Eufaula – $375,000
The Health Care Authority of the City of Eufaula is receiving $375,000 to purchase MRI equipment for Medical Center Barbour. For the past six years, patients have been forced to wait four to six weeks to schedule MRIs in surrounding areas and travel a minimum of 50 miles for services. The funding will allow the facility to offer approximately 80 MRI procedures each month to Barbour County residents and surrounding coverage areas.
